By Whitney Hill, Oklahomans for Better Medicaid
The ongoing debate at 23rd and Lincoln regarding Medicaid Managed Care (MMC) is an important one to business owners and parents of young children like me. As a business owner, I must ensure daily that I provide the best quality service and outcomes for my customers. The same is true as a parent when it comes to the health of my foster child. Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, I have experienced both positive and negative outcomes with my business and my child. What business owner and parent hasn’t? The key is to mitigate the negatives while advancing the positives at every turn. This is what the MMC debate is all about, and why I support Governor Kevin Stitt’s plan to transition Oklahoma to SoonerSelect; a Medicaid Managed Care program that could vastly improve health outcomes for Medicaid recipients while saving Oklahoma millions of dollars over the long term. Forty states have transitioned into MMC programs and seen improved health outcomes. Whether the recipients are young or old, and regardless of their medical condition or challenges, it is time Oklahoma takes the next step to improve their health while adding to its bottom line.
As with any hot-button legislative issue, misinformation is often at the forefront, and the MMC issue is certainly no exception. Opponents of Managed Care consistently talk about how it will bankrupt Oklahoma and lessen, not improve, health outcomes for Medicaid members. They talk about how the Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) will make huge profits at the expense of Oklahoma physicians and healthcare providers. They talk about reimbursement rates for providers dramatically slowing and increased bureaucracy. None of these have proven true in the other states that have implemented MMC, and Oklahomans must remember this transition will not be an overnight process. It will take time and due diligence from all involved, however over time, the facts bear that states utilizing MCOs have produced better health outcomes for its Medicaid members at a fair value to taxpayers.
The truth is that while the Oklahoma Health Care Authority does an excellent job managing the current Medicaid program, SoonerCare, it is not equipped with the infrastructure, personnel or technology to manage the individual cases of the estimated 200,000 additional Oklahomans expected to join Medicaid this summer when SQ 802 takes effect. It would take at least five years for the agency to have the necessary funds to make an immediate impact on improving access to quality healthcare for its members, and significant investments, estimated at an average of $263 million annually, would be needed to maintain quality care and programs. Conversely, MCOs are equipped to handle the increased caseload, and they assume tremendous risk to their reputation and bottom line if they fail. Why would the state of Oklahoma not transfer that risk to the private sector? Each day, I look for ways to transfer risk from my business to improve its standing and services to customers. The state of Oklahoma should do the same when it comes to the health of its most vulnerable citizens. Medicaid Managed Care will accomplish just that. I urge the Oklahoma Legislature to join me and thousands of other Oklahoma business owners and parents in supporting SoonerSelect. It is the right program at the right time for Oklahoma.
Whitney Hill is owner of Central Staffing Solutions, an Oklahoma City-based staffing agency providing hands on service in a variety of employment industries.
